Wahine Day

Short Film (Full Length) – 1973

The focus of this short film is a memorial service on Seatoun Beach, five years after the sinking of interisland ferry Wahine on 10 April 1968. More than 50 people died when the ship keeled over just inside Wellington Harbour, after hitting a reef during a ferocious cyclone. The ferry had been in service just 20 months. National Film Unit director Sam Pillsbury uses archive footage of the sinking, along with reconstructions and recreations of radio reports. The memorial service itself was recreated for the film. There are also images the attempted salvage operation.

And here's a special news item just to hand: the interisland ferry Wahine is reported to have gone aground on Barrett Reef a short time ago. Tugs are on their way to help but the Marine Department believes there is no serious danger.
– Radio news report